Forgotten Lady [Columbo]

Forgotten Lady – Columbo, season 5, with Peter Falk, Janet Leigh, Maurice Evans, John Payne

As usual, in Forgotten Lady, Lt. Columbo is tasked with solving a murder. The audience sees how the murder was done, and Columbo has to solved a locked door mystery. But there’s more going on …. And the title has a double meaning.

Review

In short, Forgotten Lady is one the most memorable — and heart breaking — of all of the Columbo murder mysteries. It’s frankly hard to review, without giving away the central, underlying problem.

• It’s clear throughout that Mrs. Willis is having memory issues. She can’t remember Columbo’s name. She’s having trouble learning the new dance routine. She can’t remember the name of her new dance partner. And, she can’t remember critical details of the night of her husband’s death.
• Everyone else thinks it’s a clearcut case of suicide. As the coroner notes, the dead man’s finger was on the trigger when the bullet entered his brain. But, a few little things lead Columbo to think differently.

Quotes

Columbo: It’s not gonna take much to break your story.
Ned Diamond: It might take a couple of months.
Columbo: Yes …. Yes, it might.

Forgotten Lady

Cast

• Peter Falk (The Great Race) … Columbo. The rumpled, eagle-eyed detective, who doesn’t miss anything. A stickler for details, he solves the mystery. But, at the conclusion, proves that he has compassion, as well as a determination for justice to be done.
• Janet Leigh (Houdini, Bye Bye Birdie) … Grace Wheeler Willis. The Forgotten Lady of the title. A formerly great actress and dancer, who wants to stage a comeback. But her husband refuses to fund the $500,000 the new show would cost. But after his death, she proceeds. Brilliantly acted by the great Janet Leigh.
• Maurice Evans (Planet of the Apes, Bewitched) … Raymond, the butler. A faithful servant, who quickly gets tired of Columbo’s interruptions.
• Sam Jaffe (The Day the Earth Stood Still) … Dr. Henry Willis. The murder victim, a retired physician. And, a loving husband. Who knows something about his wife’s condition that he takes to the grave.
• John Payne (Week-End in Havana) … Ned Diamond. Diamond and Wheeler were once one of the great musical teams. He remains a steadfast friend … And in love with Grace. The conclusion shows just how far he’s willing to go for her.
• Linda Gaye Scott (Westworld) … Alma. Wife of Raymond, a faithful servant to Grace and Henry.
• Robert F. Simon (The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance) … Dr. Westrum. The family physician, who reveals that there was nothing medical that would have driven Henry to suicide. And, how Henry was looking forward to his around the world trip with Grace.
• Francine York (Cracking Up) … Sgt. Leftkowitz. The officer who realizes that Columbo hasn’t done his gun range test. He’s supposed to do it every six months …. He’s 10 years overdue! A funny subplot.

Songs

• Speak Low. Music by Kurt Weill, Lyrics by Ogden Nash. Performed by Janet Leigh and John Payne
• Camptown Races (1850) Music and Lyrics by Stephen Foster. Performed by Janet Leigh from movie Walking My Baby Back Home (1953)
• Glow Worm Music by Paul Lincke (1902), English lyrics by Johnny Mercer (1952). Performed by Janet Leigh from movie Walking My Baby Back Home (1953)
• South Rampart Street Parade. Written by Bob Haggart and Ray Bauduc. Sung by Janet Leigh and The Modernaires. From the movie “Walkin’ My Baby Back Home” (1953)
• Walking My Baby Back Home (1931) Music by Fred E. Ahlert, Lyrics by Roy Turk. Heard over main titles of movie that’s projected and heard in mirror scene.